Thame United 1 - 0 Stotfold

Thame United returned to the ASM Stadium this Saturday to face Stotfold in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central. Stotfold came into the game a much changed team from last season's encounter, with only a few faces remaining from when the two teams had met last, and were on good form, currently sitting in seventh place, on 25 points, four places and three points ahead of Thame, and had only lost twice in the league this season. This was a clash of two of the inform sides in the league, with Thame second and Stotfold fifth in the current league form guide. Manager Ben Williams kept the same starting eleven that faced Barton Rovers last weekend, with Roger James and Luke Tingey returning to the bench.

Before the game kicked off there was a minute's silence for Remembrance weekend, which was immaculately observed by both teams and the spectators. Thame got the game underway kicking from left to right towards the ring road end, on a grey and misty day. It was the home side that had the first attempt on goal on 10 minutes, Mark Riddick winning the ball back in the middle of the Stotfold half and playing the ball through to Harry Alexander, whose shot was saved.

Thame won a throw-in on the right-hand side deep in the Stotfold half. Callum Hall launched a long through into the visitors' box on 15 minutes; the ball bobbled about and a Thame player managed to get a shot in from just outside the six-yard box, but it was high over the bar.

Stotfold had a chance on 20 minutes after a Thame attack broke down. The ball was played down the right and a shot came in, but it flew across the goal and out for a goal kick on the Thame right. Shortly afterwards they created another attempt this time after working the ball down the left and playing a square ball into the box. The shot came in from the edge of the D, but it was well saved by keeper Callan.

Thame were starting to get on top in the game, causing the visitors problems down both flanks. Harry Alexander, with a break down the right, played the ball to Ethan Lack, but his return ball was just too long for Alexander to meet, and it went out for a goal kick. The visitors won a corner on their right-hand side. As the ball was crossed in, a header came in and was put out for another corner by a one-handed tip over the bar from keeper Callan. The resulting ball into the box was met by a Stotfold forward, but the flick went over the bar.

At the other end, a surging run from Ethan Lack down the right was abruptly ended when he was brought down just outside the corner of the box, with the Stotfold player picking up a yellow card for the challenge. Jack Tutton stepped up with a right-hand shot towards the right-hand side of the goal, but the keeper pulled off an excellent save to push the ball out for a corner. From the corner, Harry Alexander took a short corner with Ed Daffern, who played the ball up, laying it back to Harry Alexander. His run into the box went unchallenged, but his left-footed shot was over the bar.

Stotfold thought they had taken the lead just before half time after the right full back had picked the ball up just inside the Thame half. He launched a long ball into the Thame box, where it was met by the visitors' number 9, who flicked the ball on with his head and it bounced into the left-hand goal. But he had strayed offside, and the flag was up before he made contact with the ball. The half ended with the scores level, Stotfold having a bit more possession, but it was Thame with the best chances in the half.

The second half started and the home side were on the front foot from the start, and within a few minutes had a chance. Harry Alexander, winning the ball on the left-hand side, played the ball into Callum Hall, who passed the ball to Ed Duffin on the edge of the 18-yard box, but his shot was wildly over the bar. Thame were winning the midfield battle, and another turnover in the Thame half allowed Jack Tutton to play in Harry Alexander on the right side; he cut inside, but his long-range shot was just wide and out for a goal kick.

Thame's dominance was rewarded on 58 minutes. A poor pass out from the Stotfold right back was picked up by Ed Daffern on the halfway line; he drove into the heart of the visitors' half and laid a ball out to Harry Alexander on the right, who controlled it and laid it back to Daffern, who had followed up his run to the edge of the box. His right-footed shot beat the keeper, who dived to his left but couldn't reach the shot. Jack Tutton then had a shot blocked from the edge of the area after picking up the ball from a throw-in from Callum Hall. Thame made a double substitution on 71 minutes, with Curtis Brown and Roger James replacing Ed Daffern and George Cleveland.

Roger James broke on the right-hand side after latching onto a long ball; he played in Harry Alexander, but his left-footed shot was saved. From the keeper's kick out, Thame won the ball back and the ball was played through the middle for Ethan Lack to run onto, but he couldn't get enough on the ball and the keeper cleared the ball. Thame continued to press and won a corner, which was taken by Jack Tutton on the left, short to Curtis Brown, who played it back to Tutton on the edge of the area, but his shot was blocked out for another corner. This time the ball into the box was headed out and fell to Harry Alexander on the edge of the box, but his shot was wide.

From an attacking threat, the visitors had been non-existent in the second half, with credit to the centre backs Dan West and Fin Murray who were dominate in the air, their only shot came just before the 90 minutes were up. A shot from the edge of the box was easily saved by keeper Callan. As the game moved into added time, Hayden Beadle replaced Jack Tutton. The visitors had one final chance with a long through into the box, which was punched away by Callan, and the ball cleared downfield, where the home side nearly created another opening. Thame saw out the last minute to secure a 1 - 0 victory with a dominant second-half performance, limiting the visitors to just one shot.

Attendance 98

Goals
Ed Daffern (58 minutes)

Team
1. James Callan
2. Callum Hall
3. Josh Stranks
4. Finn Murray
5. Ethan Lack
6. Mark Riddick (C)
7. Ed Daffern (Curtis Brown 71 minutes)
8. Jack Tutton (Hayden Beadle 91 minutes)
9. George Cleveland (Roger James 71 minutes)
10.Dan West
11.Harry Alexander

Substitutes
12.Roger James
14.Charlie Bacon
15.Curtis Brown
16.Hayden Beadle
17.Luke Tingey